WORK • Tuesday Routine
DREW NIEPORENT • owner • Myriad Restaurant Group
Neighborhood you work in: Tribeca
Neighborhood you live in: Piermont, NY
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
For 35 years, I would start my day in my office at Tribeca Grill (which closed earlier this year). Now, I’ll usually go to Nobu Downtown and check reservations, chat with the team, and check on operations at the restaurant. If I’m lucky, I’ll have a lunch date at the restaurant, which I find helpful in making sure we maintain standards.
No two days are the same, but right now I often spend most of my day organizing my archives (James Beard Awards, news clippings from reviews or features from over the years) for ICE CIA and Cornell, to take and display for their students. I keep almost everything. I often find photos from 30 years ago that I send to people, and they’ll be shocked that I still have them.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m headed to my wine store, Crush, and picking up some summer wines. Rosé and Burgundy are two of my personal favorites. Then, I’m recording the audiobook for my memoir, out today, I’m Not Trying to Be Difficult. The book has been a labor of love for over two years with my co-writer Jamie Feldmar, and it’s consumed most of my life for the past six months.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I really want to check out Daniel Boulud’s new steakhouse, La Tête d’Or. Daniel is a longtime friend and colleague of mine, and I’m looking forward to dining there and supporting him. Adda from Unapologetic Foods is also a good one, and I’m a big fan of what the chef is doing there right now.
How about a little leisure or culture this week?
This weekend I’m headed to Wegmans to pick up ingredients for a family barbeque. I’m a really good home cook and I love cooking things on an open fire. I just saw Lady Gaga at Madison Square Garden and she was incredible. I’m also really excited for the New York Jets season. We’re ever hopeful they will have a good year, and I’m planning to go to their game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in October.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I recently splurged on a Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle No. 23 magnum.
What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Urban Archeology on Franklin Street in Tribeca. They have great old bars, bathtubs, and thousands of light fixtures, and a lot of tchotchkes. I’ve been going there for years.
Where are you donating your time or money?
Two major charities I’ve been working with, both for a long time: Garden of Dreams Foundation and City Meals on Wheels.